Get ready to witness the ultimate showdown of strength, stamina and sheer determination – that’s right, we’re talking about the World’s Strongest Man competition! The WSM 2023 finals have just concluded and boy oh boy, what a nail-biting contest it was. From jaw-dropping feats of powerlifting to grueling endurance challenges, these Herculean athletes gave it their all in pursuit of one coveted title. So sit back, relax and join us for a recap of the epic battle for the crown of the World’s Strongest Man!
Introduction
In the world of Strongman, there are a few events that are considered to be the pinnacle of the sport. The World’s Strongest Man (WSM) is one of those events. This year’s WSM was held in Botswana and featured some of the strongest men on the planet.
The final event was a best-of-three Atlas Stones, which is always a fan favorite. The event was won by Hafthor Bjornsson, who is also known as “The Mountain” from Game of Thrones. He is now a two-time WSM Champion.
After an intense battle all week long, Bjornsson was able to come out on top and take home the title. This was an incredible feat, as he had to beat some of the strongest men in the world to do it.
Recap of Qualifying Rounds
In the qualifying rounds, athletes from all over the world competed in a series of grueling events. The top athletes emerged from these rounds and went on to compete in the finals. Here is a recap of the qualifying rounds:
In the first event, athletes had to lift a log overhead for as many reps as possible. This was a test of raw strength and many athletes struggled with the log’s awkward size and weight. The second event was a stone carry, where athletes had to walk with a heavy stone for a distance of 100 feet. This event was also very tough, as the stones were extremely heavy and difficult to carry.
The third event was an axle deadlift, where athletes had to lift an extremely heavy axle off the ground. This event was incredibly difficult, and many athletes could not even complete a single rep. The fourth event was a farmer’s walk, where athletes had to walk with two heavy weights for 100 feet. This event tested grip strength and endurance, and many athletes struggled to complete it.
The fifth and final event was a truck pull, where athletes had to pull a truck for a distance of 100 feet. This was the most difficult event of all, as the truck was extremely heavy and hard to move. Many athletes could not even budge it an inch.
After these five events, the top athletes emerged from the qualifying rounds and went on to compete in the finals. These athlete showed incredible strength, endurance
Highlighted Moments from the Final Rounds
In the final rounds of the World’s Strongest Man (WSM) competition, athletes from all over the world compete in a series of grueling events to determine who is the strongest man on the planet. This year’s competition was especially heated, with four-time champion Brian Shaw and two-time champion Hafthor Bjornsson going head-to-head in a battle for the title.
In the end, it was Shaw who emerged victorious, reclaiming his title as the World’s Strongest Man. Here are some of the highlights from the final rounds of this year’s competition:
Event 1: The Deadlift
The first event of the finals was the deadlift, and it was Shaw who set the tone early on, pulling an incredible 474 kg (1,045 lb). This set a new world record and put him in a strong position heading into the second event.
Event 2: The Hercules Hold
The second event was the Hercules Hold, an endurance test where competitors had to hold two 160 kg (353 lb) weights at arm’s length for as long as possible. This is where Bjornsson made his move, setting a new world record with a time of 41.8 seconds. Shaw wasn’t far behind, however, finishing just 0.2 seconds behind Bjornsson with a time of 41.6 seconds.
Event 3: The Atlas Stones
Results
The finals of the World’s Strongest Man (WSM) contest were held on Sunday, May 27th in Botswana. The event was a title battle between defending champion Zydrunas Savickas of Lithuania and runner-up Hafthor Bjornsson of Iceland.
In the end, it was Savickas who emerged victorious, winning his fourth consecutive WSM title. However, Bjornsson put up a good fight, and many believe that he has what it takes to win the title next year.
Here are the results of the top 10 athletes in this year’s WSM finals:
1. Zydrunas Savickas – Lithuania
2. Hafthor Bjornsson – Iceland
3. Brian Shaw – United States
4. Eddie Hall – United Kingdom
5. Terry Hollands – United Kingdom
6. Laurence Shahlaei – United Kingdom
7. Big Z/Zigor Mateus – Spain
8. Timber / Michael Poundstone – United States 9. Krzysztof Radzikowski – Poland 10. Konstantine Janashia – Georgia
Overview on Athlete Rankings
The World’s Strongest Man (WSM) is an international annual event that features the world’s top strongmen athletes. The competition has been held since 1977 and is currently sanctioned by the International Federation of Strength Athletes (IFSA). The WSM Final is a two-day event that consists of a series of events, with the winner being determined by the athlete with the most points at the end of the final day.
The events vary from year to year, but typically include tests of strength such as lifting heavy objects, carrying odd objects, and pulling vehicles. In recent years, the WSM Final has also included a mental challenge component.
Past winners of the WSM title include some of the biggest names in strength athletics, such as Bill Kazmaier, Jon Pall Sigmarsson, Magnus Ver Magnusson, Žydrūnas Savickas, and Brian Shaw.
The battle for the WSM title is always fierce, and this year was no exception. The final day of competition featured some close battles, but in the end it was Brian Shaw who emerged victorious. Shaw won three out of the four events on the final day to secure his place atop the podium.
